By Katherine E. Reyes
With a possible teachers’ strike around the corner, parents could be left scrambling for places where their children can stay during the day.
Teachers plan to strike if the Harris government adopts its education reform plans. The government plans to pass Bill 160 any day. The bill seeks changes such as a reduction in the number of teachers, the number of professional development days and class-preparation time.
If there is a strike, some parents working outside of their homes may have problems re-arranging their schedules to watch their children during the day. Parents with flexible working hours say they know some parents aren’t as lucky.
“If necessary, I’d watch other children whose parents need to work,” says Eddy Napoleon, whose daughter attends McNabb Park school on Percy Street.
Napoleon is a security guard and works the evening shift but his wife, Amber Khan, works during the day.
“I know we’d manage well,” Khan says.
The couple said their six-year-old daughter would still be working hard at home if there was a strike.
“She wouldn’t be on vacation,”Khan says. “As usual, we’d make sure she’d have to read and learn at home.”
The working mother added: “I know it would be difficult for some parents to find day care on such short notice.”
For low-income parents, paying for day care could be tough if there is a strike.
“I think it would be difficult for parents to pay for day care because some people in this area don’t have that extra cash,” says Caroline Hawthorne, chairwoman of Connaught public school council.
Hawthorne says some parents may be forced to leave their children home alone.
Despite problems a strike would cause, Hawthorne says she supports teachers.
“I’m 110 per cent behind the teachers,” she says. “The teachers at my son’s school have children’s best interests in mind.”
Despite the support of some parents for teachers, others think a strike would hurt students.
“Parents haven’t shown any hostility towards teachers but I know not everyone will be able to make arrangements for the strike,” says Joan Spice who’s daughter attends Elgin Street public school. “Parents and children will obviously be hit hard if the strike lasts for several weeks.”
Khan says she’s worried some parents aren’t taking the strike seriously and haven’t started making plans.
“It’s a different thing when something’s in the process of being planned,”Khan says. “When it actually happens is when people begin to think about it and then it’s too late.”